Title of article:
Application of Leg-to-Leg Bioimpedance System in Children
Authors: Nuñez C, Rubiano F, Horlick M, Thornton
J, Heymsfield SB.
Poster presented at: Childhood Obesity: Partnerships for Research and
Prevention, May 1999.
Abstract
Objective: The assessment of body composition in children provides important information in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood obesity. A simple, noninvasive and inexpensive method of quantifying body composition that may be applicable in children is the leg-to-leg contact-electrode BIA system (TBF 305, Tanita Corp., Tokyo, Japan). The system's validity in estimating body composition is established for healthy adults, although information in children is lacking.
Design: The present study evaluated the leg-to-leg BIA system in a group of 96 children ranging in age (5-17 yrs.) and BMI (13.2-30.8 kg/m2) by comparing respective body composition estimates with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA, Lunar DPX-L).
Results: A high correlation was observed between fat-free mass estimates by both methods (r=0.98, p<0.001, SEE=2.62 kg). Additionally, a Bland-Altman plot revealed no systematic bias (r=0.10, p=0.93, NS) between methods. These results therefore suggest that the leg-to-leg BIA system agrees favorably with DXA body composition estimates and may be an appropriate health tool in the assessment of children varying widely in body composition.
Comments and Key points
Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), and Bio-electrical impedance methods, using a Tanita body fat scale, had equivalent results in children, with no significant difference.
This study has a twin cousin, using the same data sample of children.
References
- http://www.tanita.com/professional/abstracts/abstract_main.html
Review & comments by Steven B. Halls, MD, Last edited 26-May-2008 Copyright.
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